Machine for copying flat keys



p 11, 1962 c. ROSSETTI 3,053,149

MACHINE FOR COPYING FLAT KEYS Filed Nov. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Char/es Rosseffi A ATTORNEY Sept; 11, 1962 C. ROSSETTI MAC'HINE FOR COPYING FLAT KEYS Filed Nov. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Char/es Rosseffi jfl mm ,Z ATTORNEY 3,053,149 MACHINE FOR COPYING FLAT KEYS Charles Rossetti, Lausanne, Switzerland, assignor to Simeca S.A., Vevey, Switzerland Filed Nov. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 852,295 Claims priority, application Switzerland Nov. 27, 1958 12 (Ilaims. (Cl. 9013.05)

The object of the present invention is a machine for copying flat keys which comprises a mill driven by an electric motor, a movable support intended to receive a key blank to be cut, this support being capable on the one hand of movement in a direction parallel to the axis of the mill so as to cause said blank to pass longitudinally under the mill and, on the other hand, of inward movement in the direction of the mill, a feed mechanism driven by the motor effecting the longitudinal displacement of the support with respect to the mill and a feeler which is caused to move over the profile of the key to be copied during this displacement, limiting the inward movement of the support so as to reproduce this profile on the blank.

The machine which is the subject matter of the present invention is characterized by the fact that it has a return device adapted to bring the support into a position further away from the periphery of the mill for the loading position of the machine, this device having adjustment means which make it possible to adjust the distance between the periphery of the mill and the bottom of a clamp on the support, which clamp is intended to hold the key blank, so as to adapt this distance to keys of different widths in such a manner that the shank of the key can pass freely between the bottom of the clamp and the periphery of the mill but that the collar of the key still strikes axially against the mill upon the introduction of the blank into the clamp.

One embodiment of the machine which is the subject matter of the invention is shown by way of example in the drawing, in which- FIG. 1 is an axial section through the machine;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the machine, partially in section along the line 22 of FIG. 1, and with the cutter cover removed;

. FIGS. 3 and 4 are sections along the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, inverted from right to left;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail.

The machine shown comprises an electric motor 1 which rotates a mill cutter 2 fastened on a sleeve 3 mounted on one of the ends of the motor shaft.

Above the milling cutter 2, there is a movable support 4 arranged at the free end of an arm 5 which extends longitudinally above the motor. This arm 5 is pivoted to the upper end of a leaf spring 6 which is fastened at its lower end to a frame 7 attached by bolts to the rear flange of the motor 1. The spring 6 consists over the greater part of its length of two contiguous leaves. It has an opening 9 for the passage of the motor shaft and comprises at its upper end two lugs 10, by means of which it supports the arm 5 (see FIGURES l and 5). These lugs 10 constitute supports for a shaft 11 pivoted in two lugs 12 provided on the rear end of the arm 5. p

The said shaft 11 (see FIGURE 5) also rotatably supports a roller 13 which cooperates with a cam 14, rigidly connected with a transverse shaft 15, arranged in bearings, not shown, of frame 7. The shaft 15 is driven at very low speed by the motor 1 via a vertical countershaft 16, also arranged in bearings of the frame 7. The motor 1 bears on its stub shaft a sleeve 17 having a worm screw 18 which engages with a worm wheel 19 rigidly connected with the shaft 16. The latter, in its turn, bears a worm 20 which engages with a gear 21 which is rigidly attached to shaft 15, and this mechanism is arranged in a protective housing 8 mounted on the frame 7.

The cam 14 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow A (see FIGURE 1). Upon its rotation, starting from the position shown, it first of all pushes the arm 5 forward up to an advanced position in which the roller 13 assumes the position 13 indicated in dotted line and thereupon, after the nose 14' of the cam has been passed, it permits the return of the arm 5 into its initial position under the action of the spring 6 which tends to straighten out. The return movement of the arm 5 (towards the right in FIGURE 1) is about twice as fast as its forward movement. 1

The support 4 arranged at the free end of arm 5 cornprises two parallel longitudinal clamps, one of which is intended to hold a key blank 23 which will be cut by the milling cutter 2 during the advancing movement of the arm 5 and the other of which is intended to hold a cut key 24 to be reproduced, cooperating with a fixed feeler member 25 (see FIGURE 2).

The clamp intended to house the key 24 to be reproduced comprises two jaws, one consisting of a plate 26 fastened to the arm 5 by screws (not shown), and the other of a block 27 which a coil spring 28 urges away from the plate 26. The clamp intended to hold the key blank 23 comprises two jaws consisting of a plate 29 and a block 30 which a spring 31 urges away from the plate 29.

These two clamps can be clamped tight simultaneously by means of a control screw 32 which bears a knob 33. This screw is provided at its end with a portion 34 provided with a lefthand screw thread which is screwed into a tapped hole of the block 27. It also has a groove 35 in which there is placed a stirrup 36 which a screw 37 prevents from turning, without, however, interfering with its axial displacement. This stirrup 36 bears axially against the block 30 and rotation in normal direction (to the right) of the knob 33 has the effect of unscrewing the screw 32 from the block 27 and moving the blocks 27 and 30 apart and thus tightening the two clamps. Rotation of the screw 32 to the left causes the simultaneous loosening of the two clamps.

It may happen that it is desired to cut successively several copies of one and the same key, in which case only the blank need be replaced, the key to be reproduced remaining in its clamp. For this purpose, there is provided a second control screw 38 which cooperates with the block 27 via a righthand thread and which makes it possible to lock the clamp bearing the key 24 to be reproduced independently of the screw 32.

The front end of the arm 5 is guided laterally by a stirrup 39 fastened to the arm 5 by two screws, and the arms 40 of which surround a stationary guide plate 41 (see FIGURES l and 3). In order to permit a precise adjustment of the lateral position of the front end of arm 5, the legs of said stirrup are fastened to the said arm by an adjustable cross member 42 which comprises a rod 43 screwed at its ends in pins 44, slidably mounted in holes of the side walls of the arm 5. In these pins there are screwed adjustment screws 46 and 47 and on rod 43 there is arranged a sleeve 48 which holds the legs 40 at the stipulated distance apart. By an adjustment of the position of the screws 46 and 47 in their respective pins, the legs of the stirrup 40 can be caused to bend slightly on one side or the other, while remaining parallel so as to regulate the lateral position of the support on the milling cutter.

The guide plate 41 is fastened by means of a screw 49 to a bridge 50 of a frame 51 attached to the front flange of the motor by three screws 52. The plate 41 is slit longitudinally over about two-thirds of its length and a spring blade 54 of curved shape has a lower arm clamped between the plate 4-1 and the bridge 50 and an upper arm housed in the slit of the plate 41, constituting an elastic support for'the key blank 23. This blade holds the blank against the bottom of the clamp before the tightening of the latter.

The feeler 25 consists of the upper end of a metal blade 56 which is housed in a groove cut in the front face of the frame 51. This blade 56 is locked in the groove by a screw 57. The frame 51' is provided at its base with two feet 58 which constitute the front support of the machine.

The milling cutter 2 is concealed to a great part by a protective cover 59, pivoted at 60 via lugs 61. A spring blade 62, resting on these lugs 61, holds the cover in the closed position shown in FIGURE 1.

During the cutting of the blank, the arm rests against the feeler member 25 via the key 24 to be reproduced, two tension springs 63 (see FIGURES 2 and 3), arranged between the pins 44 and studs 55 (see FIGURE 2), rigidly connected with the frame, pulling the arm in the direction of the milling cutter (see FIGURES 2 and 3).

In order to facilitate the placing of the blank 23 and thekey 24 to be reproduced in the clamps of the support, the machine comprises a return mechanism adapted to bring the arm 5 into a raised position further away from the periphery of the milling cutter in the loading position of the machine. This mechanism comprises a stop 64 fastened to the front end of the frame of the motor 1, there resting against this stop the lower end of a tiltable lever 65, pivoted on a wedge (follower frame) 66, arranged longitudinally on the inside of the arm 5. This wedge, which is visible in plan view in FIGURE 5, consists at its front of two parallel bars 67 and 67, of rectangular cross section, connected by two (front and rear) cross members 68. The lever 65 is pivoted between these two bars, which are housed in slots 69 cut in a transverse rib 70 of the arm 5. The bar 67, which is of greater length, is welded to a plate 71 which, at its rear end, has a cut out 72, by means of which it fits over the transverse shaft (FIGURES l and 5).

The plate 71 carries a follower stud 73. A tension spring 74, arranged between the rear cross member 68 and a stud 75 of the motor shell, holds this follower stud 73 against the periphery. of. a .cam 76 rigidly connected with the shaft 15.

The bars 67 and 67' of the wedge (follower frame) 66 constitute a substantially horizontal path fortwo rollers 77 and 77', each rotatably mounted on one of the arms of a forked-lever 78, pivoted on a transverse trunnion pin 79 which passes through the walls of the frontportion-of the arm 5 (see FIGURES l and 4).

On the same pinsas the rollers 77, 77' there are mounted rollers 80,. 80' 'of a slightly larger diameter. which rest against the periphery of two identical cams 81, 81. arranged one on each side of a knurled wheel 82 with which these cams are rigidly attached, on a pin 83 which is pivoted transversely in thearm 5.

, As long as the cam 76 is in the starting position shown, the. wedge (follower frame) '66 occupies its upper position shown in solid line and thearm 5 is preventedfrom descending due to the fact that the cams 81, 81' rest on rollers 80,- 80, which rest on the wedge (follower frame) 66.

On the other hand, shortly after placing the machinein operation, the follower stud 73 drops onto thelower portion of the cam 76, and the wedge (follower frame) 66, under the-action of the spring 74, is withdrawn and,- due to the stronger inclination assumed by the lever 65, takes the lower position shown in dotted line in the lefthand portion of FIGURE 1. The descent of the wedge (follower frame) 66 frees the arm 5, which then comes to' rest on the feeler 25.

Upon the cutting of flat keys, it is important that the profile cut out in the key occupies a given axial position with respect to a shoulder of the key intended to bear against the front end of the cylinder of the lock.

In order to obtain perfect identity between the key to be reproduced and the key cut, the axial position of the keyblank to be cut (23) is determined on the machine shown by the fact that the shoulder 84 of the blank is brought into contact with the front side face 85 of the milling cutter (see FIGURE 6), the position of the key to be reproduced being determined in a similar manner by the location of the key to be reproduced against the feeler 25, which has a longitudinal profile identical to that of the milling cutter. In this way it is not necessary for the feeler 25 and the milling cutter 2 to be aligned transversely and the wear of the milling cutter or the play of the motor shaft does not present any drawback.

In order that the required contact between the shoulder 84- of the key and the side face of the milling cutter is obtained even in the case of keys of different widths, the machine has adjustment means which make it possible to adjust the distance between the bottom of the clamp and the periphery of the frame.

For this purpose, the cams 81, 81' via which the arm 5 rests on the rollers 80, have a generally spiral profile so that rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow B of the knurled wheel 82 will have the effect of decreasing the distance between the clamp and the milling cutter while its rotation in the opposite direction will have the effect of increasing it.

In order to facilitate the adjustment, there is provided, extended from the trunnion pin 79 of the lever 78, a measurement feeler 86 which is connected for rotation with the lever 78. The end of this feeler emerges from" the arm 5 through an opening in the latter and, upon the rotation of the knurled wheel 82, it oscillates opposite a reference stop 87 formed on the outer face of the arm 5. For the rotation of the knurled wheel 82 in the direction indicated by'the arrow B, which corresponds to a decrease of the distance between the milling cutter and the clamp, the feeler 86 comes closer to the reference stop 87 and the different lever arms are determined in such a manner that the distance E obtained between the bottom of the clamp and the milling cutter is slightly greater than the distance e present between the feeler 86 and the stop 87. It is thus possible readily to obtain the desired adjustment after initially presenting of the blank under the measurement feeler 86, the slightly greater distance obtained automatically between the milling cutter and the bottom of the clamp permitting the free passage ofthe shank of the blank supported by the spring 54 and the shoulder 84 of the key which comes against the side face of the milling cutter.

The cam 76 is shaped so as automatically to return the wedge (followerframe) 66 into raised position during the return stroke of the arm 5, and the machine is equipped with a limit switch which automatically stops it after the shaft 15 has turned one complete revolution.

By means of the return and adjustment devices mentioned, the charging of the machine does not present any difficulty.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Ina key cutting and duplicating device having, in combination, a milling cutter, powerized means for driving the same, a tracer feeler, a carrier adapted clamp: ingly to support the key blank and key pattern means therefor over and above said cutter and tracer feeler, pivotal and slidable guiding means for said carrier to direct its sliding movement normally relatively to said cutter with the aid of gravity along a line in'parallelis'm to the axial line of said cutter, feed means coupled to said powerized means for directing said carrier along said line, feeler means for limiting the pivotal movement of said carrier toward and from the cutter under actuation of said feed means in accordance with the profile of the key pattern means to be copied, said carrier having means to support the key blank and key pattern means in abreast alignment relatively to said feeler and cutter.

2. In a key cutting and duplicating device having, in combination, a milling cutter, powerized means for d1iving the same, a carrier adapted to support the key blank and key pattern means therefor, pivotal and slidable guiding means for said carrier to direct its sliding movement normally relatively to said cutter along a line in parallelism to the axial line of said cutter, feed means coupled to said powerized means for directing said car rier along said line, feeler means for limiting the pivotal movement of said carrier toward and from the cutter under actuation of said feed means in accordance with the profile of the key pattern means to be copied, said carrier having means to support the key blank and key pattern means relatively to said feeler and cutter, said feed means having cyclically repetitive operable cam means.

3. In a key cutting and duplicating device in accord ance with claim 2 wherein one of said cam means is formed to displace the key blank and key pattern means held by said carrier from cutting contact with said milling cutter and feeler, to position the carrier and provide clearance for clampingly mounting said key blank.

4. In a key cutting and duplicating device in accordance with claim 3, means for regulating the carrier in relation to said milling cutter to adapt the distance between the same to keys of different widths so that the key blank may pass freely into supporting position in the mounting of said key blank and, within limits, to abut the key shoulder against the cutter.

5. A key cutting machine for coupying fiat keys, comprising a milling cutter driven by an electric motor, a movable support to receive a key blank to be cut, said support being arranged on the one hand to move in a direction parallel to the axis of the milling cutter so as to cause said blank to pass longitudinally against the milling cutter and on the other hand of moving inwards towards the milling cutter, a feed mechanism driven by the motor causing the longitudinal displacement of the support with respect to the milling cutter and a feeler caused to follow the profile of a key to be copied during this placement limiting the inward movement of the support so as to reproduce this profile on the blank, characterized by the fact that it has a return device adapted to bring the support into a position displaced from the periphery of the milling cutter for a loading position of the machine, this arrangement having a regulating means permitting the adjustment of the distance between the periphery of the milling cutter and the bottom of a clamp of the support intended to hold the key blank in order to adapt this distance to keys of dilferent widths in such a manner that the shank of the blank can pass freely between the bottom of the clamp and the periphery of the milling cutter, but that the collar of the key comes axially against the milling cutter upon the introduction of the blank into the clamp.

6. A key cutting machine according to claim 5, in which the said support is arranged at the front end of a movable arm extending longitudinally with respect to the motor and pivoted at its rear end near the rear end of the motor, characterized by the fact that the said return mechanism comprises a support member rigidly connected with the motor located near the front end of the latter, a support member rigidly connected with the said arm and a movable wedging frame arranged between these two support members and arranged to raise the arm, said wedging frame being displaceable by means which is synchronized with the feed mechanism of the arm so as to free the arm at the start of the cutting operation.

7. A key cutting machine according to claim 5, char acterized by the fact that the said wedging frame con stitutes a track for a roller rigidly connected with the said arm and by the fact that the said wedging frame rests against the support member rigidly connected with the motor via a lever articulated on the wedging frame and on the said support member so as to change the vertical position of the wedging frame upon the longitudinal displacement of the latter.

8. A key cutting machine according to claim 5, characterized by the fact that the said adjustment members comprise a movable stop which limits the movement of the support in the direction towards the milling cutter, a readily accessible operating member providing means to modify the position of said movable stop so as to adjust the difference between the support and the milling cutter, said member also controlling the relative position of a measurement feeler and of a stop between which the shank of the key blank will be presented, all being arranged in such a manner that the distance obtained between the milling cutter and the bottom of the clamp is slightly greater than the width of the blank after the measurement feeler has been brought against said shank.

9. A key cutting machine comprising a milling cutter driven by an electric motor, a movable support to receive a key blank to be cut, said support being arranged on the one hand to move in a direction parallel to the axis of the milling cutter so as to cause said blank to pass longitudinally against the milling cutter and on the other hand of moving inwards towards the milling cutter, a feed mechanism driven by the motor causing the longitudinal displacement of the support with respect to the milling cutter and a feeler caused to follow the profile of a key to be copied during this displacement limiting the inward movement of the support so as to reproduce this profile on the blank, characterized by the fact that it has a return device adapted to bring the support into a position displaced from the periphery of the milling cutter for a loading position of the machine, this arrangement having a regulating means permitting the adjustment of the distance between the periphery of the milling cutter and the bottom of a clamp of the support intended to hold the key blank in order to adapt this distance to keys of different widths in such a manner that the shank of the blank can pass freely between the bottom of the clamp and the periphery of the milling cutter, but that the collar of the key comes axially against the milling cutter upon the introduction of the blank into the clamp, said measurement feeler consisting of one of the ends of a lever pivoted on the arm, said lever bearing the said roller at its other end and the operating member being adapted to control the angular position of this lever.

10. A key cutting machine according to claim 9 wherein said operating member comprises a pin pivoted on the arm, said pin bearing a control knob which permits its rotation and a cam constituting a stop intended to maintain the said lever in an adjustable position, depending on the angular position imparted to the cam.

11. A key cutting machine according to claim 9 in which said support is arranged at the front end of a movable arm extending longitudinally with respect to the motor and which is articulated at its rear end near the rear end of the motor, characterized by the fact that the said arm is articulated on the motor via an elastic blade arranged near the rear end of the arm and by the fact that guide means arranged near the front end of the arm cause the support to move axially above the milling cutter.

12. In a key cutting and duplicating machine having a motor driven milling cutter and a carrier having key blank holding means including adjustable and tightening clamp. means for holding. and directingsaid key blank ing said clamp means to hold said -key blank for said during key cutting and duplicating operation over and operation independentiy of -manual pressure of said above said milling cutter and whereinthe said clamp clamping means against said cutter.

means includes a key back contacting edge to one side thereof toseat the key, the combination having an elas- 5 Referenceicifed in theme of this Palmt tic support positioned With relation to said clamping UNITED STATES PATENTS means to urge said blank seated against said edgeiand V t against gravitational displacement in advance of tighten- Orchard 1957 

